360DigitalInfluence

There is a popular saying in politics that all politics are local; and in China the same can be said about the Internet. Local players, in tune to the specific needs of the country’s “Netizens”, rule the digital space, and the numbers are staggering. Currently, the Internet in China is home to over 340 million users who are online for an average of 16 hours per week, the same amount of time they spend watching television. There are 111 million people managing a social network profile, and these numbers are growing daily. The power of the Internet in China has never been stronger and has not even begun to be realised.

It is no secret that the Internet in China has been an agent for reform, and it is serving as a valuable tool for people to explore a world often beyond their reach. The Internet is not only serving China’s growing set of Netizens though. It is quickly replacing traditional media as brands and companies seek to connect with their consumers in new and different ways. With the exception of Google, international platforms that offer a cut and paste version of their American or European sites simply fail and often get banned. Popular sites such as Facebook and Twitter have fallen victim to the Great Firewall of China. While young innovative Chinese Netizens can find a way to get to these sites, why would they want to? Chinese social media is simply way cooler.

The Internet in China is dominated by long-running, multi-service portals like Sina, QQ and Sohu that have been offering social networking, discussion forums, blogs, instant messaging and other “socialised media” long before Twitter and Facebook. As the nationally preferred form of social media, bulletin board systems (BBS) are available in every imaginable topic, and in these forums, Netizens can be extremely vocal, resourceful, risk-takers, subversive and sometimes a little worrisome.

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I want to be a blogger. Well, at least it’ll get me on (online) TV for a day…

While bloggers in Malaysia continue to get the attention of marketers, they further grabbed the limelight when Nuffnang and Hitz.fm recently aired Project Alpha, Malaysia’s first online TV show about bloggers.

Hosted by TV host/scriptwriter/producer Jojo Struys, who is also a blogger herself, Project Alpha is a fast paced, fast cut, lifestyle-driven show that features the daily lives of seven popular bloggers in the country — a high-powered working Mum, two shopaholics, a full-time accountant by day who is a powerful entertainment blogger by night, a daredevil personality who is always seeking the next adrenalin rush, and a travel writer who practically lives out of her suitcase.

These influencers are: Budiey Isma, Kenny Sia, Redmummy.com, Audrey Ooi/Fourfeetnine, Nicole Tan/Nicolekiss, Poh Huai Bin/Sixthseal, and Ahmad Nazuwan/Beautiful Nara.

There are seven episodes, each giving a three-minute sneak peek into Malaysia’s top bloggers, how they live, what makes them tick and from where they get their inspiration to keep their readers/followers captivated. The first episode went on air on 18 September 2009 and will be aired daily for seven weeks.

With Project Alpha, it is hoped that people from all walks of life will start their own blogs to share their passion and interests with the world.

Are you inspired yet, to start your own blog? Maybe it’s time to start one and who knows, you might be featured in the next season of Project Alpha! In addition, you’ll get to enter the Project Alpha Blog Contest and win yourself the grand prize – a date with Jojo Struys to Chelsea and watch an English Premier League game!